A food chain shows how energy passes from one living thing to another through consumption. Producers like plants produce food, primary consumers eat producers, secondary consumers eat primary consumers, and decomposers like fungi and bacteria break down dead organisms, recycling nutrients back into the soil to nourish producers and complete the cycle. The example food chain describes an insect eating a plant, a small fish eating the insect, a larger fish eating the small fish, and an even larger fish eating the larger one before decomposers break it down.

1. A food chain is the way energy goes from one living thing to another through food. FOOD CHAINS Steps in a food chain Producers (Plants) Consumers (Animals) Decomposers (Fungi and bacteria) Primary consumers Secondary consumers

2. A food chain in action A tiny insect nibbles on some leaves over a lake. A little fish zooms up and eats the insect. A slightly larger fish eats the little fish. The slightly larger fish gets eaten by a really big fish. The big fish dies and decomposers break down the nutrients. Plants get nutrients from the soil and make their own food.

3. ` Decomposition Bacteria and fungi decompose (break down) dead plants and animals. This returns nutrients into the soil, helping plants grow and renewing the food chain.